Albert r



A. R. BETHEL.

CAPPING HEAD. APPLxcATIoN HLED MAR,21.\919.

Patented June 8, 1919.

Za I

PATENT onnion.

ALBERT RTRETi-innjon BAnTiivro'Ria-iviARYLANn, lAssicriwin VTo THE BUCK GLASS n' coMrANY, or :BALTIMQRR iuARrLAND, AcoRroRATIoN or MARYLAND.

'eArriNG-HEAD.

To all 'whom t may concern r y Be it known that I, ALBnRTRj BETHEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at B altimore city, State1 of Maryland,have A1n-v vented certain new and useful Improvements in Capping-Heads, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for applying caps to bottles and .similar receptacles, and its obj ect is to provide a'simple and highly efficient device for fastening the cap in place over the bottle mouth.

The object stated is attained by means of a novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter' described and claimed, and in order that the same may be better understood, reference is had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specication.

In the drawing,

Figure 1 is an elevation of the device Fig. 2 is a vertical section thereof showing its application, and

Fig. 3 is an inverted plan view of the device.

Referring specifically to the drawing, 5 denotes .a bottleto which a closure in the form of a cap 6 is to be applied, said cap being of sheet metal or other flexible material, with a gasket or washer 7 beneath the sameto make a fluid tight joint. The cap is of suitable diameter to seat on the bottle mouth, and its depending annular side portion 8 encircles the bottle neck externally. The bottle neck is provided with the usual outside head 9 and the part 8 of the cap terminates a short distance below the same. The cap is designed to be fastened in place over the bottle mouth by bending or crimping the terminal or edge portion of the part 8 inwardly so that it comes beneath the head 9. A mechanism is provided for eecting this crimping operation, said mechanism comprising the following parts:

At 10 is shown a plunger adapted to obtain a reciprocatory movement from any `suitable mechanism, and having at its lower end a hollow head 11 which is open at the bottom. This head carries and incloses a Vring 12 having at its outer edge a depending i y speeifi'catinlof Letter-'erstem Application filed March 27, 1919. Serial No. 285,556.`

rangement being such that an annular series of balls is produced.V The diameter ofthe balls is greater than the thickness of the flange 13 so that the balls may project fromtrhe latter. The depending side portion 16 of the head 11 encircles this annular series of balls, on the outside of the liange 13, and has an outward enlargement 17 which produces an internal annular shoulder 18 which is normally above the exposed portions of the balls. It will therefore be seen that when the head 1l is forced downward to engage the shoulder 18 with the portions of the balls 15 which Yare exposed on the outside of the iange 13, said balls are pressed or forced inwardly through the aperturesV 14 against the side portion 8 of the cap 6, thereby crimping or bending the same under the bead 9. The apertures 14 are dimensioned to permit inward movement of the balls a suliicient distance to effect the crimping action, and it will be noted in Fig. 2 that the apertures are reduced at their inner ends sufficiently to prevent the balls from passing entirely through the same and thus dropping out. Outward displacement of the balls is prevented by the part 17 encircling the same.

The ring or carrier 12 for the crimping balls 15 is carried by stems 19 having a sliding connection with the head 11 by passing loosely through apertures therein, and having above the latter heads 2O limiting downward movement. Between the carrier ring 12 and the head 11 are interposed cushions in the form of springs 21 coiled around the stems 19.- p'

The springs 21 normally hold the parts 11 and 12 spread, in which position the shoulder 18 is spaced from the balls 15. When the head 11 descends, the ring 12 first engages the top of the cap 6, and as the stems 19 are slidable in the apertures of the head, the latter can continue to descend to force the balls inward to effect the crimping operation hereinbefore described. As the head 11 moves down on the stems 19 the springs 21 are compressed to hold the ring 12 firmly down on the cap 6 during the crimping operation. On the return or upward stroke of the head 11, the springs 21 restore the parts to their normal position shown in Fig. 2,

withdrawing the shoulder 18 from the balls Patented June 3, 1919.

A bottle @ap @plier cfmmmei'ng.` a lionw..

reciprocatorj7 liead having an internal annular shoulder, an annular series of crimping-z balls inside the shouldered portion of the.,

liead,`a carrier for the balls positioned inside tliehead; said! carrierConsistingv of' a top and an annular flange*depending--thereL from and of a diameter to admit the cap for engagement byl the top-,stems e'xend'illg1 from they top of the carriera-nd haringl ai slidingoonneeiowwith the Iheadyand-` springs nterposedi between theY head andl the; carrier, Sadcarrier flange having apertures in which the balls loosely; seat, said;l balls being` eX- pos'ef onffliefoutsilfeg. offtlie1 ager engageinent' By tlie 'aforesaid shoulder', and being; free to move inwardly to project from Ythe` inside of the Vflange.

YVIn testimony whereof I alix my signature in t'lie presence of two witnesses;

Y VALBERT R. BETHEL. Witnesses:

E. WAL'roie"Bmwnnzmnon,L `BBEN1mL Copies ofV thispatent m'ayfbe obtainedfforveicents eaol; addresaingr'the'fGommissidner of? Patents,V

lfauhixrgton;` D.- G. 

